Received a call at 6:oo a.m. Yesterday morn from the post office. My forty-five, one day old chicks had arrived. It's a ten min trip to the post office, I went down immed to pick them up. When I arrived home with them and opened the box, WOW forty-one were deceased and four were alive. What an over whelming feeling of despair. The hatchery will make it good, but I was so upset for all those baby chicks. I told the hatchery I felt they were shipping to early and the poor babies were paying the price. They were going to ship another bunch immed, but, I said no. It's to cold for the chicks so I took an order for April, first monday. Man that is so hard to see all those deceased babies. Haystack
Day old Chicks:
I'm so sorry to hear about the deceased chicks. I have been looking at my pet chicken and read they send them thru the mail also. Although I'm only going to order 4 chicks, I'm worried about their transport.
Awwww poor Haystack, and poor babiez! I'm sure that was sickening.. I'm sorry that happened to you. (and them) I am just too scared to order chicks through the mail.. My mailman said the lady across the freeway ordered 50 and they were all dead.
I hope the ones that are left are okay! Give em a snuggle for me.
Hey you guys, maybe it is the place you are ordering from. They don't check where they are sending them and the weather?? My sister has gotten chicks thru the mail for many years and has never had a disaster like that.
I think she orders thru McMurray.
Hi Jnette: McMurray is who I ordered my chicks from. I have ordered from them before and never had this problem either. I am sure it's just to cold to be shipping baby chicks right now.
omg Haystack, i am soo sorry..sure sounds like it was too cold..poor babies..i have always ordered my chicks from mt healthy..never had a dead one..but ill bet this weird weather doesnt help..
(((hugs)))
cindy
How are the 4 survivors?
That would be devastating to unpack and find ~ so sorry!
Don't they use heat packs for these guys like they do when they ship plants?
I'm so sorry about your chicks Haystack i've never ordered from mc'murray :(
I've ordered in the winter and never had this problem i order from ideal and will have a couple chicks dead but never that many.
They could have got chilled lord knows what the delivery folks do to them, They could have piled if left or put in a cold truck.
I'm going to order from cackle pretty soon has anybody had any experience with them?
(Edited for spelling i been sick and my brain is half dead)
This message was edited Feb 11, 2009 8:44 AM
Possibly has to do with the weird weather patterns now --nothing is running true to form.
Most hatcheries sell in batches of 25 so they will stay warm?! A batch of 4 seems small...
I live in Chicago so there's no where that I know of to buy baby chicks. I found my pet chicken that will sell a minimum of 3. I bought two different coop things that both will accommodate 3 to 4 each. I have no idea what I'm doing so I don't want to start out endangering animals and thought I better start small. Besides the neighbors are going to freak with 4. But I'm wondering how they are going to keep warm when they're dropped in the mail. The sale starts feb 23. It's still cold here. I better hold off until April.
Your weather must really be as strange as everyone else's. I would have thought that Ferndale would not be that cold. What has McMurray said about it?
Jeanette
In answer to questions? Grow their was no pack of four. I ordered forty--five birds they came in a carton about sixteen x sixteen with a divider, creating two compartments. When I opened the first compartment their were four live birds, I dipped their beaks in water and placed them in the brooder, I noticed their was no chirping comming from the carton and that concerned me. upon opening of the other compartment their were no live ones at all. I immed returned to the post office with the deceased birds. The supervisor told me they had placed the carton as they always do beside a radiator heater and expressed his sorrow for the loss. I told him they had been dead for some time as most of them were stiff with rigor-mortise. He said he was going to call the hatchery and advise them of the loss and question them about this early shipping due to the cold. He was very concerned and truly sorry for the loss. I called McMurray and the lady told me they were going to send a new complete order immed. I then advised her that I did not think that it was a good idea, I then told her I would like them to arrive here as early as possible in April. She agreed and expressed her sorrow for the loss.
In answer to sending them with any source of heat, the answer is no, they put a very little bit of straw in the bottom of the box, (very little) The boxes are filled with small openings for the sake of air, but it was very cold inside of that box. I would say about 60 degrees? way to cold for those little ones. I am not angry with anyone, or upset with anyone, I just think they are shipping way to early in this cold weather. I was deeply saddened for the babies. I'm going to go online and advise those who are considering buying baby chicks not to do so until at least the middle of march. McMurray is very good about putting your comments up for the public and potential buyers to read. That is one reason I do business with them.
Roserairie is who mentioned four, so sorry Hay...it really is too cold for shipping cheepers...
That is so...sad. Poor lil chickies...
How odd, when I've ordered plants in winter, for a nominal fee, they will add a heat pack in the package. I have noticed the warmth still generated when the package is rec'd. Wonder why it is not feasible for shipping chicks. The cost is passed on to the consumer anyway. Oh well, what do I know... lol
Grow I luv ya but your loosing it:!!! The second half of your first response, says. " most hatcheries sell in batches of 25, a batch of four seems small". So I was just letting you know their was no batch of four. LOL You Make me Laugh. Hay
well.....umm... Brain was multitasking, fingers were not quite keeping up...sorry 'bout that!!
Oh Haystack, I'm so sorry to hear it.
I ordered from McMurray too, for the end of February. I hoped it would work out for me because McMurray is located in Iowa, but then I learned they do a lot of their hatches in Texas. I dunno what will happen. I ordered 25 mixed brown layers and 25 ornamental layers.
Haystack!!! I am so sorry about the chicks! That is an awful sight I never want to see. I just cant imagine it. I have never ordered chicks but have known people who do frequently. Its a risk I guess. I am glad you decided to wait til April. It will be for the better. Again, I am sorry for your loss. :(
Hi Mox! I would be very interested to hear how your order goes. I told them to wait until the first week in April, but I got an e-mail from them yesterday stating they would be shipped the end of Feb and I would receive them on the 2nd of March. Oh well I'll just have to wait and see how it goes. Please post and let us know how your order goes. Thats news to me, I did not know that they had anything out of Texas. I'm sure we don't really know the half of it. Thanks Claire, as always it's so good to hear from you. Haystack